We drove out of the city and the roads became emptier. Soon, we turned towards an even emptier road. It was around forty minutes later when we arrived in front of tall iron gates supported by stone pillars with lamps at each side of the gate. The car stopped right in front of the gate and it automatically rolled open as if it was expecting us. As we drove further in past acres of grass and trees; the house came into view. I stiffened as I looked at the mansion, noticing that only certain areas were lit inside it. I could tell there was a large circle in the center right in front of the mansion, seeming like a mini garden of leaves and flowers.
We drove around the center garden and parked when the side of the car faced the front of the mansion. I got out of the car first since my side of the car was the closest to the front doors and started walking towards the large French doors.
As I turned the door knob, the door opened without resistance. I entered the foyer area and my heels clicked against the marble flooring. The design of this place matched similarly to the penthouse. Minimal and classically simple, but gorgeous nonetheless.
Ares suddenly stepped in front of me with worry in his eyes, stopping me from walking further into the mansion past the large open foyer.
"Wait, Leaf. He must have planned my timing since he told me to drop everything and to go to the penthouse. But you still have a choice. It's still not too late for you to stay out. I need you to be absolutely sure."
I gave Ares a smile to ease his concern and patted his shoulder. "Viking, what choice can I make right now without knowing anything? Certainly not an informed one."
"You know enough, don't you think?" Ares sighed. "You already know all of this involves Project Erase. Shouldn't that deter you away? You didn't have a choice to be dragged into Project Erase the first time, but you have a choice this time. Think, Leaf, do you really want to get pulled into something involving Erase?"
"Viking, I'm not going to tuck my tail and run away every time someone mentions Project Erase. I'll let you know my decision on whether I want to get involved or not after I get some information. After being dragged into this mess and threatened at gunpoint to do someone else's bidding, I'm owed at least some kind of explanation, don't you think?"
"He wants you to make a decision first."
"Well, that's too bad for him."
Ares gave me a small smirk. "So much sass, Leaf." He stepped to the side, unblocking me from the staircase that led upstairs. "Go up the stairs and turn right, the first door on your right will be his office. He's expecting you."
Without another word, I took off my shoes, stepped onto the hardwood flooring and walked towards the staircase.
*
I stood right in front of the door that Ares said would be the office and prepared myself. Knocking twice out of simple politeness, I heard an answer and opened the door wide as I took a step inside. I looked at the man in front of me, the one that gifted me the small gold leaf necklace that I always wore on my neck.
Even preparing myself and knowing in my mind that I would be meeting him again, I was still taken off guard by the golden gaze that stared right back at me. I had thought about so many things I wanted ask and say to him, but none came to my mind as I stared into his eyes and was unable to believe that he was a few paces away from me.
He was sitting on the front edge of his large desk; his long legs were stretched out in front of him towards my direction and crossed at the ankles. His brawny arms were crossed over his strong chest, his dark brown hair was a little longer at the top and swept back to clearly reveal his face. The last time I saw him was six years ago when he was seventeen. He was a year older than me, but sometimes the glimpses of heavy burden in his eyes when his impassive mask chipped has often made him seem much older.
We stared at each other in silence until he broke it.
"Leaf." He greeted me and his voice was just as baritone and smooth as I remembered. His eyes and face were just as impassive as always, emotions heavily guarded.
"Knight," I let out quietly. "Do you go by Lucien, now?"
I took another step into the room and his unique eyes followed me as if trying to analyze my every movement.
Should I be upset that I was deceived or happy that I could finally see him again? Should I be angry that he sent his men to attack me or pissed that he never bothered to let me know how he was doing when he must have known I was searching for him all these years?
He stood up to his full height, which was only a little shorter than Ares, and started to walk towards me. I froze still, unable to tear my eyes away from his as he approached closer slowly, step by step. When he was a few steps away from me, he stopped walking and waited.
I closed the door behind me and took the remaining few steps until we were standing face to face with one short stride separating the both of us.
His hands slipped underneath my open blazer and rested on my waist. As his left hand started to inch closer to the middle of my back, I realized that he probably already knew I brought a weapon with me. I immediately snapped myself out of my daze and anger was the emotion that became the easiest to express.
I quickly placed my right hand on top of my gun by instinct to protect my weapon from being taken from me. His left hand didn't stop moving until it fully engulphed my right hand.
"Do you plan on shooting me?" Lucien spoke stiffly as he tightened his large hand on top of my right hand and gun.
"Are you offering me the opportunity? I must say that it would be a very tempting offer, Knight," I said flatly as I glared into his eyes. "If you wanted to test me, you should have come see me yourself."
I held my gun tightly in my grasp and aimed for his neck with my left hand, but he stopped it from making contact as he grabbed onto my wrist.
"You've gotten slower." He noted.
As he slipped the gun out of my hand, I immediately retaliated by getting it back with my finger on the trigger. "Still faster than you," I returned cheekily with slight amusement.
Lucien swiftly shifted and pinned both my wrists firmly against the middle of my back and everything became standstill. I stopped moving, but his grip was still firm. If anyone passed by and saw us, it probably looked like we were embracing.
"Six years, Knight. We've grown past the age for hide and seek, no? So, why? Seeing how you and Ares are so chummy together, there's no way you wouldn't have known I was searching for you. I didn't know if you were alive, stuck in a ditch somewhere, or..." My voice trailed off.
Lucien remained quiet.
"If you didn't want to see me or have me search for you anymore, you should have let me know. You even could've sent a pigeon with a note attached to it and it would have been sufficient."
I tried to tug myself out of his grip, but he didn't relent.
"Let go." I looked up to meet his eyes with a fierce glare. "Let. Go. Or else you won't like what I do next."
As soon as he loosened his grip, I immediately took a large step back and straightened my right arm, the barrel of my gun touching the middle of his chest. Lucien didn't flinch nor look down at the gun, he kept his golden eyes on me.
"Impassive mask as thick as always and firmly glued on your face."
"The safety is still on," he commented blankly.
I waited a few more seconds before I looked away and shoved my firearm back between my belt and back. "I know."
I wasn't going to shoot him and he fully knew that.
"Explanation?" I demanded, but he kept silent.
As he reached up to touch my face, I took another step back to increase the distance between us and crossed my arms across my chest. His hand dropped to his side and his emotions became even more guarded.
"Alright, I'll start." I turned around and started to walk around his office, scanning the floor to ceiling bookshelves filled with books. "I've been doing fine. But I'm sure Ares would have told you if you asked. Recently, I was threatened at gunpoint after trying to live as peaceful as possible. Though, you probably already knew all the details regarding that."
Lucien stayed rooted to his spot as I walked around his large office. I stopped when I reached his large office chair.
"Out of anyone in the world, I was probably chosen to be bullied because they made a link that Ares was my brother and wanted to use me against him. I say 'good riddance'. As if I would ever sell out my own brother." I chuckled emotionlessly as I sat down on his chair and relaxed into the seat, placing my forearms on the armrest. "You said that you wanted a decision first, but I would like to know some details before I decide."
Lucien didn't say anything as he walked around his grand desk, then knelt down next to me and spun the chair so I fully faced him. He reached for my hands and I turned them palms up, thinking he was going to give me something. He didn't. Instead, he grabbed them and started to lightly rub my wrists.
I didn't notice in the heat of the moment, but they were a little red from when he restrained me. His actions were throwing me off and slowly dowsing my fiery anger.
"If the full version is too long, then give me the watered down one."
Lucien finally caved in. "Someone's already restarted Project Erase and they've gathered two syndicates to fund Erase in the past two years. There have been suspicious disappearances of orphans in the past year. I've been trying to shut it down with my team."
I felt an icy shiver run up my spine. "How long have you been involved?"
"Always." The entire time he explained, he didn't look at me, instead he was focused on my wrists as he continued to gently rub them.
His answer meant that six years ago, Project Erase wasn't fully eradicated even after all of the known people involved in it either died or went to jail. Lucien probably always kept an eye out just in case it may start again. He never does anything without a reason and for him to have always kept a lookout meant that for some reason, he knew that it would restart.
"You said you wanted a decision; what do you think I should choose? To stay with you and once again get involved in the violence I tried so hard to escape, or should I leave and forget you since I'd probably never see you again after this if I chose not to get involved? I'm sure that big brain of yours already calculated the pros and cons. Advise me."
"I cannot," he responded as he stopped rubbing my wrists and let go of them.
I blinked a few times in confusion. "Is your computer-like brain... broken?"
I touched the bottom of his chin with my right index finger and leaned in closer to him with a taunting smile forming on my face. "I dare you, Knight. Ask me to stay. Ask me and I would gladly be another pawn on the chessboard for you. I owe you a life debt anyways, so please feel free to collect."
Lucien placed a hand at the base of my neck and pulled me even closer. Our noses almost brushed against each other. My breathing stuttered for a moment before I quickly shut down all of my emotions because I didn't want to feel so bare and vulnerable before him.
"You know that you're not a pawn to me." Lucien let out in a chillingly deep voice with barely contained fury.
From this close, I could see the flash of anger in his eyes before he quickly erased it.
I paused for a moment in confusion from his answer, but I put my hands on his shoulders and pushed him away. Needing to get away from being so close to him, I stood up straight.
"I don't know what I am to you anymore, Knight. You disappeared without saying goodbye and didn't even care to let me know if you were alive or not. I would ask you 'if I'm not a pawn, then what am I?' but why should I even bother to? You won't give me a straight answer anyways."
Not wanting to continue this conversation anymore, I pushed away the chair to clear a path to leave, but Lucien grabbed my arm before I could step away from him.
"Your decision?" He asked as he eyed me with a familiar empty golden gaze.
"I'm going to sleep on it. I'll let you know tomorrow." I yanked his hand off my arm and walked away as he remained standing still. I touched the door handle and opened the door.
"You don't owe me anything." Lucien stated.
"We both know that I do. If it weren't for you, I wouldn't be alive today," I sighed. "Eight in the morning tomorrow, come to the penthouse for breakfast. I'll give you my answer then."
With that said, I left his office fully knowing what answer I was going to give him tomorrow.
****
Hope Laramie and Lucien's first meeting met everyone's expectations :D
Vote. Comment. Share. (>.<)
Warm wishes,
InvincibleBunny